FARGO, N.D. (May 14, 2013) – Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Awareness Week will kick-off Sunday, May 19. EAB Awareness Week is an effort to increase public awareness about EAB and the threat it poses to ash trees in Fargo and North Dakota.
The City of Fargo urges residents and visitors to become better educated about EAB and to take action to help slow the spread of this invasive pest.
In recognition of EAB Awareness Week, the city will be placing posters and ribbons on ash street trees to highlight a sampling of the large areas that are at risk and will be affected by the pest. These areas include 17th Ave. S., east of 32nd St. and 13th Ave. S., west of 21st St.
Fargo residents and visitors can help slow the spread of EAB in several ways:
· Don’t move firewood.
· Diversify tree plantings to reduce vulnerability.
· Become aware of the symptoms of EAB and report possible sightings to the forestry department.
· Learn about the signs and symptoms of EAB infestation. This information can be found at the EAB Web site, www.emeraldashborer.info.
Free Fair Housing Training Scheduled for June 4
FARGO, N.D. (May 10, 2013) – The Fargo Human Relations Commission and High Plains Fair Housing Center will sponsor a Fair Housing Training Workshop on Tuesday, June 4, from 1 – 4 p.m. at the Fargo Holiday Inn, 3803 13th Ave. S. Attendees will receive important information regarding Fair Housing laws and regulations. The training is particularly useful for real estate professionals, landlords, tenants and housing advocates.
The event is free and open to the public. ND licensed real estate professionals and social workers interested in earning 2 hours of ND continuing education credits must pay a $20 registration fee.
For more information on Fair Housing Training or to register, contact Willard Yellow Bird at the Fargo Department of Planning and Development at wyellowbird@cityoffargo.com or 701-476-4116. Registrations must be received by Friday, May 31, 2013.
Summer Safety Focus of Annual Red River Zoo Event
Free Admission for Families During Event Hours
Families looking for fun and educational outing are invited to attend the ninth annual Safety Safari at the Red River Zoo from 3-7 p.m., Saturday, May 18.
AAA North Dakota and Safe Kids Fargo/Moorhead sponsor the event to help educate parents and children on how to avoid accidental injuries–the number one killer of America’s children–while exploring the zoo. Admission to the zoo for the event is free.
In addition to activities showcasing some of the zoo’s animals, the Safety Safari will feature safety-related demonstrations presented by local medical, fire and law enforcement agencies. A limited number of bicycle helmets will also be available at discounted prices.
With the increase in outdoor activity, summer is a dangerous time of year for children. The most common causes of child accidental injury deaths in the summer are motor vehicle passenger injuries, drowning, pedestrian injuries, biking, and falls, according to Safe Kids.
Annually, 12,000 children and teens die from injuries from accidents and about 9.2 million are treated in emergency rooms, according to a recent national study. The study also found that North Dakota has a higher-than-average injury related death rate of 61.6 per 100,000 people, while Minnesota’s rate is 51.2. The national average is 57.9
For more information on the Safety Safari, go to www.redriverzoo.org, or call 701-282-6222.
Group Encourages Area Residents to Grow Beans
Free seeds available to community
FARGO, ND (May 8, 2013)-If you have some spare room in your garden, or would like to try growing a new vegetable this year, consider beans! The group One Vegetable, One Community is striving to unite the Fargo Moorhead communities by encouraging gardeners to grow, cook and share a single vegetable. This year, the group has chosen beans as the vegetable they would like to see growing in gardens, containers on front porches, storefronts, churches, and school gardens in the F-M area.
The group will be providing 500 free starter kits which include seeds, tips and ideas, recipes, and garden stakes. The kits will be available beginning May 9 at: The Agassiz Building, Cass County Social Services, Clay County Social Services, Family HealthCare Center, Fargo Cass Public Health, Fargo Public Library-Main and Carlson locations, the FM Community Bike Shop, the Moorhead Public Library and Red Raven.
Sara Van Offelen from the University of Minnesota Extension says the group’s goal is to get people talking about local food, “We want to create access to fresh, healthy food in our community. Beans were chosen as the 2013 One Vegetable One Community vegetable because they taste great, are easy to grow and are packed with nutrients.”
To learn more, or to share your ideas, visit the FM One Vegetable, One Community’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/onevegonecomfm.
One Vegetable, One Community is sponsored by: Cass Clay Food Systems, Fargo Cass Public Health, Minnesota Statewide Health Improvement Program, North Dakota State University Extension, and the University of Minnesota Extension.
National Bike Safety Month Observed in May
BISMARCK, N.D. – May is Bike Safety Month, a nationwide event observed to highlight the importance of safe bike riding, according to Diana Read, Injury/Violence Prevention Program director for the North Dakota Department of Health.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, millions of Americans ride bicycles, but less than half wear bicycle helmets. For example, a national survey conducted in 2001-2003 found that only 48 percent of children ages 5 to 14 years wore bicycle helmets when riding. Further, older children were less likely to wear helmets than younger children.
Because head injury is the leading cause of death and long-lasting impairments related to bike crashes, the Department of Health urges all bike riders to wear helmets – every time they ride.
“Wearing a helmet is the single most effective thing a person can do to avoid injury and death. That’s why everyone must make wearing a helmet a priority,” said State Health Officer Dr. Terry Dwelle. “Parents should model good bicycle safety by encouraging good riding habits, wearing a helmet and obeying all traffic laws.”
For more information about bike safety and how to fit a bike helmet correctly, visit www.ndhealth.gov/injury or contact Diana Read, North Dakota Department of Health, at 800.472.2286 (press 1).
Proposals for Ag in the Classroom programs sought
BISMARCK – The North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) and the North Dakota Agriculture in the Classroom Council are seeking proposals for developing and conducting educational programs and materials to help young people understand the importance of agriculture in North Dakota and in their own lives.
“Agriculture in the Classroom programs provide teachers with curricula and class lesson development materials, training seminars, a magazine, website and other tools to make agriculture part of the school day,” said Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. “The program helps young people learn where their food comes from and how to make better food choices for themselves.”
Goehring said about $55,000 will be available for the programs.
Information on grant opportunities and on preparing and submitting proposals is available at www.nd.gov/ndda/program/ag-classroom or by contacting Jamie Good at (701) 328-2659 or jgood@nd.gov.
Proposals may be sent by email to jgood@nd.gov or by fax to 701-328-1870 and must be received by 5 p.m., May 24.
UND Space Studies to participate in high-altitude balloon launch with West Fargo students Friday, May 17
University of North Dakota Space Studies students and faculty will be working alongside first and seventh- grade student teams to launch and track two high-altitude balloons Friday, May 17, from the Red River Valley Fairgrounds in West Fargo, N.D.
The High-Altitude Balloon Launch is sponsored by the North Dakota Space Grant Consortium. The public is encouraged to attend and observe the launch. This launch is completely dependent on weather.
Balloon competition
High-altitude balloons are fun, inexpensive and increasingly popular tools to put experiments in a near-space environment. Students will attach payloads (containers holding experiments), along with a ham radio, GPS tracker, radar reflector and a parachute, to a latex balloon filled with helium.
As the balloon rises, the atmospheric pressure drops and the balloon expands. At a certain point in the stratosphere, the balloon can no longer stretch and it pops. As it falls back to Earth, the parachute deploys. Ham radio operators track the balloon as it descends to Earth. After continuously following the balloon’s trajectory with tracking equipment, the chase teams pinpoint the balloon’s final landing destination.
Balloon launch This is the first launch to include multiple payloads from seventh-grade teams at the STEM Center Middle School in West Fargo. The plan is to launch two balloons from the Red River Valley Fairgrounds. The University of North Dakota is launching a Go-Pro camera to record the entirety of the flight.
The seventh-grade students have been designing their own science experiments throughout the school year and will be launching the high altitude balloons alongside first-grade students.
University of North Dakota Space Studies students and faculty will join the student teams in tracking the balloons. They will retrieve the balloons once they descend, usually a couple of hours after launch.